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Martha BECK

Raymond Fernandez

March 3, 1949 - Grand
Rapids, MI: Raymond Fernandez' face appears as an expressionless
mask as he is
pictured for the first time behind bars following his arrest upon
the sonfession of the "lonely hearts"
murder of Club member victims. Fernandez and his accomplice Martha
Beck admitted the slaying
of Mrs. Deliphene Downing and her daughter, Rainell, 21 months old.
(Bettmann / Corbis)

Raymond Fernandez

Raymond Fernandez

Raymond Fernandez

Fernandez began
writing dozens of letters to women in lonely hearts clubs. After
gaining their trust,
he would steal money, jewelry, and other items, and then disappear.
The victims were often too
embarrassed to report him to the police, and he was able to work the
con again and again.

Exterior of the
home of Delphine Downing and her daughter, who were murdered by
Martha
Beck
and Raymond Fernandez, the infamous lonely heart killers. (Bettmann
/ Corbis)

Exterior of the
home of Delphine Downing and her daughter.

Evidence

Evidence

On
August 14, 1948, Fernandez and Myrtle Young were married in Cook
County, Illinois.
Martha posed
as Raymondís sister this time and did everything she could to make
sure
that the marriage was
never consummated.

Raymond gave her a heavy dose of
drugs
which caused her death.

Janet Fay rented a spacious apartment
in the downtown part of the city and, more
importantly, had money in the bank. She had a habit of writing letters to lonely
hearts
clubs and despite warnings from her friends
and family, she continued the
practice.

She was bludgeoned into unconsciousness with a ball-peen hammer
and then garroted using a scarf as a tourniquet around her neck.